If you’re unfamiliar, Moor Mother is an experimental poet/sound artist/rapper from Philadelphia known for dynamic, dense, conversational lyrics. Although she’s been around for a while now, Moor Mother first fell on my radar with BRASS, her sensational 2021 collaborative album with rapper Billy Woods that was also one of the year’s best.
Moor Mother’s fifth solo release, Black Encyclopedia of Air, is being dubbed her “most accessible yet,” and while musically it’s a bit more melodic than previous outings, the content is nonetheless as elusive and radical as ever. Dark, ambient-laden beats from producer Olof Melander perfectly complement the grim content, which is accentuated by guest appearances from a cast of underground rap’s finest (including Elucid and Pink Siifu). It’s a thought-provoking and exciting listen for fans of experimental hip-hop acts like Shabazz Palaces and Armand Hammer.
